It had never occurred to me that I might run a marathon in Beijing until I watched Sunday's Beijing Marathon, which was great, despite criticism of its not so runner-friendly toilet facilities. However, like many seasoned Beijing Marathon runners who are familiar with the city, I was worried about the notoriously bad air quality.

Last year's marathon, postponed to November, was burned into our memories not only because of the cold, but also because of the severe air pollution. This year, concerns began to grow as the capital was shrouded in smog with the event fast approaching. October was deemed the best time to hold a marathon in the city as autumn is usually the most pleasant time of the year. Worse, two days before the event, Grammy winner Patti Austin was forced to cancel her concert in Beijing after she suffered an asthma attack and respiratory infection when smog once again choked the city.

So can we really accuse any marathon participant who talked about running in a mask or those who pulled out of the race for overreacting? Fortunately, on the day of the race the air quality turned out fine with few runners feeling the need to wear a mask. For this, the strong wind the night before definitely deserves a medal.